The Silver Screen: Why Movie Theaters Matter In The Age of Covid and Streaming

Due to the pandemic release schedules of movies have been altered, with most being released on streaming platforms such as HBO Max and Disney Plus. Source: Pixabay

For many, movie theaters seem like a thing of the past––a distant remnant of a bygone era. Now, 13 months into the pandemic, the projectors of the world are slowly flickering back to life after waking from their mandated slumber, only to find themselves in an entirely new world much different from when they left it.

Initially planned to be released in 2020, perpetually postponed films such as James Bond’s “No Time To Die,” Marvel's “Black Widow” and Frank Herbert’s “Dune” finally have solid release dates. However, their attempt at preserving their box office appeal might’ve been in vain, as the industry has dramatically shifted toward streaming and video on demand.

Companies such as Disney and Warner Brothers have altered their 2021 release schedules so that their films are released on Disney Plus and HBO Max, the same day they are in theaters. Other films have had their theater releases almost completely diminished, opening in only a handful of theaters and primarily available through Video on Demand. 

Once an integral part of their profit, public showings are now seen as a supplemental rather than fundamental. This outcome is devastating for theaters across the country and the world. After hemorrhaging money for the past year, they must now find a way to entice consumers who are not just skeptical of the establishment’s safety, but of their relevance in the age of streaming and a post-COVID world. 

Some theaters are perfectly suited for social distancing, such as drive-in theaters, which have seen a tremendous comeback. Others are offering private screenings and playing previously released films to combat the drought of new releases. Some theaters have even embraced streaming with virtual cinemas, allowing audiences to watch both new and old releases on their computer or smart device. 

But ultimately, like so many other businesses ravaged by lockdowns and quarantines, the theater industry has suffered massive casualties. Recently, ArcLight Cinemas and Pacific Theaters announced that they had no viable way forward and will be closing all of their locations, including the legendary Cinerama Dome. This Los Angeles theater opened in 1963 and is the only concrete geodesic dome in the world. It features a humongous 86 foot wide screen, advanced acoustics, and 70mm projection capabilities. It was declared a Los Angeles historical cultural monument in 1998 and was featured in the 2019 Quentin Tarantino film “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” during a montage that highlighted the defining monuments of the city of angels. If such a prestigious institution can fall, what hope is there for the average theater?

Based on these trends, one might expect that theaters are going the way of VHS; obsolete and inconsequential due to technological advancements. In actuality, theaters are both fundamental and foundational to the movie experience. Cinema, at its core, is an event. Just like a performance of the stage, it requires a time commitment, proper viewing conditions, suspension of disbelief and, most importantly, an audience to interact and engage with. 

The progression of smart televisions and personal computing devices has dramatically changed how we consume entertainment. We’ve gotten to a point where it's difficult to imagine a time when we had to rely on physical media only a decade ago. However, as films become more and more accessible, our ability to fully experience them diminishes. 

When you’re able to watch whatever you want wherever you want, be it in the comfort of your own home or while you’re traveling, everyday distractions can impede full engagement. Filmmakers aren’t designing films so that you can engage in other activities such as checking your phone or folding laundry as you watch them. There's also the issue of available video and audio hardware. Despite the immense processing power that we are now able to hold in our hands, devices such as smartphones and tablets still lack the resolution and audio output capabilities required to fully transmit the content of a film. That’s why theaters are the perfect setting. 

With a towering 50 foot screen and quintessential surround sound, they envelop you in a film by focusing your senses. An environment where the only source of light is the screen and all auditory distractions are prohibited allows audiences to achieve complete and unequivocal investment. When watching a film in a theater, one is able to forget about the responsibilities and duties of the real world and fully immerse themselves in the emotions and struggles of the characters and story. Surrendering oneself to the silver screen can result in not only feelings of escape, but epiphany as well. Cinema, along with other forms of art, has the ability to articulate and recontextualize our underlying anxieties and tribulations, as well as what causes these struggles and how to overcome them. What better way to recognize, understand and even conquer our issues through art than in the best viewing environment possible?

Even though auditory distractions are prohibited, that doesn’t mean that audiences have to necessarily remain silent. In fact, a sense of community is the primary element that distinguishes a theater from other forms of viewing. When watching a film for the first time with a group of people, the emotions induced from the screen become palpable. We cheer, cry, laugh and scream instinctively and harmoniously. We become so infatuated that we break our self imposed theater etiquette. 

Ecstatic audience reactions most often coincide with legendary cinematic moments, specifically endings. Prime examples include the finales of the “Avengers” films, the aforementioned “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” “Uncut Gems,” and countless others. It is those moments of unbridled exclamation that make certain scenes, and films, so memorable. This phenomenon is the same for films we’ve already seen. Classic and cult showings give fans a chance to see their favorites in the best possible conditions and among a crowd that shares their affection. Even though they know what will happen, patrons of these showings will still react to every moment as if they were seeing it for the first time. This surrender to sentimentality is demonstrative of the power that films can have, even after multiple viewings.

Through Instagram, the Marist Circle reached out to the Marist community to ask about how they would feel going back to theaters in the current state of the pandemic. The answers received varied drastically. 

Some are yearning to return to an experience they believe is unparalleled and irreplaceable. “Streaming doesn’t have the same effect as taking some friends and going to the movie theater or to see a show,” said student Seána Brady ‘23. “Not to mention audio, visual quality and any of the other multiple things a theater has that your house does not.”

“I think movie theaters are an extravagant way to celebrate the release of a film,” Angel Pinoj ‘21 said. “It makes the entire movie watching experience rather wholesome and makes you really feel connected with the content in the way the director intended.”

Other students, such as Carly Malfatto ‘24, consider it acceptable in the current, relatively diminished, state of the pandemic as long as COVID mandates are followed. “With masks, absolutely––if restaurants are open at full capacity without masks on, I feel very safe sitting in a theater, and eventually once everyone gets vaccinated, I don't see much of a risk.”

There are also students who feel that theaters are still unsafe in their current state, citing concessions and sanitization as their central concerns. “I would love to go back to the movie theaters but without knowing what they do to sanitize the seats and sitting around people who will undoubtedly take their masks off to chew their snacks way too loudly, I won't be going back for a while,” Chris Smith ‘24. Emma Kittay ‘22 shared this opinion, stating that she “probably would not go to a theater if food was allowed. It’s hard to make sure that everyone is wearing masks as well.” 

One student went as far as to proclaim that returning to theaters in a post-COVID world is inconceivable: “It’s basically asking to get sick,” said Liane Sturrock ‘22. “The way the world has changed in this last year has proved how many things should change to protect people’s health, and I feel like that’s one of them.”

This begs the question: if theaters do survive, how will they change? What can theater chains do to entice consumers to return to a place that is perceived as not only unnecessary, but potentially even life threatening? Will theaters fully embrace the changing media landscape or double down on their prototypical method of entertainment and storytelling? 

The future is unknown, but the determinant is clear: whatever medium is economically viable will remain. Audiences will vote with their wallets for how they believe films should be distributed, which will, in turn, alter how we perceive films as a whole. Therefore, with proper safety regulations, the theater industry, both big and small, should be supported at any available chance. It is up to us to maintain cinema as a form of artistic and personal expression rather than just a commodity of temporary amusement. Films must be recognized as more than just a bombardment of audio and visuals. Every single film, no matter the caliber, contains countless man hours of work from artists and talent all working cohesively in an effort to create something that audiences will resonate with on a deeper, emotional level. If we reach a state where films make no meaningful impression other than just initial fleeting enjoyment, then what's the point?

Big stories deserve to be told on the big screen.